4th Ward Relocation Project - Prairie du Chien

The Prairie du Chien Historical Society invites the public to a free panel discussion led by Dale Klemme on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairie du Chien Art Center.

The program will explore the remarkable story of the Fourth Ward on St. Feriole Island and its relocation following the devastating floods of 1965 and 1967. In response to repeated flooding, the neighborhood was evacuated and relocated to higher ground on the mainland in a groundbreaking project led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—the first of its kind. Over the following years, approximately 160 homes and structures were either relocated or demolished, and by the early 1980s, the former residential district had been transformed into what is now a 240-acre public park that preserves the island’s historic sites.

Through personal stories, local insight, and historical context, this discussion will reflect on the human impact of the relocation and the lasting legacy of this unprecedented community-wide effort.

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